Cost of Living Comparison Between Valparaiso and Elk Cost of Living Comparison Between Valparaiso and Elk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,174 per month in Valparaiso vs $1,386 in Elk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,690 per month in Valparaiso vs $2,028 in Elk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Valparaiso vs $2,670 in Elk, rent included.

Valparaiso is about 15% cheaper than Elk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Valparaiso sits 12% below the global median, while Elk is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 CLP 8,816

$7.90 zł 28.69

24.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.00 CLP 33.1K

$40.25 zł 146

-8.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 CLP 7,671

$6.75 zł 24.51

26.81%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,504

$2.13 zł 7.72

31.46%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,069

$2.06 zł 7.49

-42.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CLP 775

$1.12 zł 4.07

-22.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,914

$3.95 zł 14.34

-17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 CLP 3,778

$3.99 zł 14.48

5.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,075

$1.07 zł 3.88

12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,349

$1.35 zł 4.90

11.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 CLP 1,944

$1.88 zł 6.81

15.43%

Eggs

$4.13 CLP 3,699

$2.59 zł 9.40

59.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 CLP 9,406

$4.96 zł 18.00

111.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 CLP 6,143

$6.44 zł 23.36

6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 CLP 8,500

$13.11 zł 47.59

-27.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,612

$1.10 zł 3.99

63.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,459

$1.81 zł 6.59

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,471

$2.04 zł 7.42

-19.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,304

$2.88 zł 10.45

-49.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 CLP 1,087

$0.90 zł 3.26

34.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,221

$1.09 zł 3.97

24.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,193

$1.41 zł 5.11

-5.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,056

$0.55 zł 2.00

114.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 CLP 4,167

$5.22 zł 18.94

-10.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 CLP 4,879

$7.54 zł 27.36

-27.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CLP 1,313

$1.17 zł 4.24

25.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CLP 1,652

$1.37 zł 4.98

34.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 CLP 542

$1.07 zł 3.89

-43.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 CLP 48.7K

$32.21 zł 117

68.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 456

$2.23 zł 8.09

-77.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 CLP 664

$0.49 zł 1.77

51.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 CLP 3,475

$13.40 zł 48.63

-71.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,282

$1.69 zł 6.14

-15.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$15.1K CLP 13.5M

$32.0K zł 116.2K

-52.95%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.0K CLP 17.9M

$31.1K zł 112.8K

-35.58%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$131 CLP 117.2K

$310 zł 1,127

-57.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.60 CLP 12.2K

$6.73 zł 24.41

102.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.76 CLP 19.5K

$13.41 zł 48.69

62.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.23 CLP 19.9K

$36.28 zł 132

-38.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.34 CLP 21.8K

$19.33 zł 70.2

25.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 CLP 4,850

$6.90 zł 25.04

-21.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$431 CLP 386.3K

$322 zł 1,170

33.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,655 CLP 7.8M

$5,480 zł 19.9K

57.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.84 CLP 28.5K

$84.4 zł 306

-62.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.66 CLP 19.4K

$27.27 zł 99.0

-20.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 55.7K

$83.7 zł 304

-25.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 CLP 45.2K

$88.8 zł 323

-43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 CLP 437.2K

$551 zł 2,001

-11.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 CLP 384.1K

$466 zł 1,692

-7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 CLP 631.0K

$935 zł 3,394

-24.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 CLP 514.8K

$853 zł 3,097

-32.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,706 CLP 1.5M

$2,343 zł 8,505

-27.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,116 CLP 999.5K

$2,108 zł 7,651

-47.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$808 CLP 724.0K

$1,280 zł 4,645

-36.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

-26.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Valparaiso: April 27, 2026

Last update for Elk: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $488 in Valparaiso versus $551 in Elk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 58% higher in Elk, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Valparaiso versus $40.00 in Elk. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Valparaiso vs $208 in Elk – so Elk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Valparaiso vs Elk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Elk is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,761 per month in Valparaiso and $2,079 in Elk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valparaiso, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Elk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Valparaiso and $40.00 in Elk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Valparaiso, where all-in costs run around $1,174, than in Elk at $1,386. In Valparaiso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Valparaiso – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Valparaiso. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Elk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.